Bag-turning machine.



A. NOYES.

BAG TURNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION min APn.1, 1915.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.y

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- @wi/mm A. NOYES.

BAG TURNING MAHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I, 1915.

Aug. 3,1915. z SHEETS-#sam 2. f

ITED sTnTns PATENT onirica.

ALBERT NOYES, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGN OR TO AMERICAN BAG COMPANY, OFMEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, A. CORPORATION 0F TENNESSEE.

IBAG-TURNING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

. Beit known that I, ALBERT Noires, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag-Turning Machines, ofwhich the following is a specication. l

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in that classof bag turning machines in which the bags are turned by air suction, andinorder to more fully describe the same, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings which show one specic form of a machine embodyingsaid invention, and wherein:

Figure l, is a side elevation of said machine; Fig. 2, a top plan viewthereof withv the sulierstructurev removed; F ig. 3, a central verticalsection of the suction chamber with the two sections thereof separated;Fig. 4, a section on line 4c X Fig. 1, and Fig. 5, a detail endelevation of the expansible mouth through which the bags are drawn.

The machine herein shown comprises, among lother parts, an, air suctionchamber which is made in two separable sections 1' and 2, Section 1 ismounted fast upon the top of the main frame 3 of the machine, whilesection 2 is adapted to reciprocate in front-of section 1, 'and for thispurpose is slidably mounted in stationary guides 4. Section 1 isAprovided with two air passages or compartments 5 and 6. Compartment 5is provided with an'air outlet 7 for attachment to aduct 8 which leadsto a suction' fan 9 or any other means for produclng airv suctionthrough the outlet 7 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3.Compartment 5 is closed. at one end where it is provided with a glassWindow 10 and is open at its opposite `end. Compartment- 6 is pro videdwith a telescoping section 11, which is adjustable longitudinallyof-said compartment for different lengths of bags. This adjustableAsection 11 is provided with an eXpansible mouth consisting of tworelatively movable sections 12 and 13, having overlapping flanges orlips 14 or 15. (See Fig. '5.) Member 12 is stationary, while member 13ismovab1e for the purpose of expanding and contracting the mouthopening, as hereinafter described. Compart-y lout of the bags as theyare drawn through the rear end of section 1l. A wire screen 5 preventsthe bags from being drawn into compartment 5. v

Chamber section 2 is separated by a partition 15,`into two compartmentsor air passages 16 and 17, which open into each other at the rear ofsaid partition, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The end ofsection 2adjacent section 1 is open, while'its other end is permanently closed bya glass window 18.v Section 2 also has an opening 19 in its bottom,provided with a leather flap 20 for purposes which will hereinafter morefully appear.

The adjacent edges of sections l and 2 are faced, respectively, withfelt or other suitable material 21 for preventing the escape of airthrough said portions when the sections are brought together.

Reciprocating motion is imparted to section 2 by mechanism presently tobe described, in such manner as to bring the faces 21 of said sectionstogether and separate them alternately. The bags are placed one at atime with their open ends over the lips 14 and 15 of the mouth of thesuction chamber, while the said mouth is contracted, after which themouth expands and holds the open end of the bag. Suction is constantlyapplied to outlet 7, so that when the sections 1 and 2 are broughttogether as stated, an air suction is created through the mouth ofsection 1 which takes the course of the arrows yindicated in Fig. 3,passing out through opening 7. This suction draws the bag invthrough themouth of section 11, at the same time turning it and delivering'itsclosed end to compartment 17 of section 2.

Immediately after this turning operation', i. i.

away. from section 1', ,and Vat the lproper-'time tion 2 through tworocking levers 23 and 24 mounted at their lower :ends .upon a rock shaftand connected at their upper ends lthrough rods -2G. and 27,respectively, to a shaft 28 which extends transversely through section2.

between levers 23 and 24 and' rods 26 and 2T b v having -said levers actuponsaid rods through springs 29 and 30, the rods26 4and 27 passingvthrough openings in the upper ends of said levers. Levers 23 and 24 areoperated b v connecting rod 31 attached to a l crank arm 32, fast on ashaft 33, which re- -ceives its motion through a gear 34, meshing with asmaller gear 35 on a main driving shaft 36 on which latter ismountedfast a pullev'3'7 connected b v belt 3S with .anyj suitable source ofpower.

Shaft 36 carries also an idler pulley 37 to which the belt .may beshifted.

The necessary adjustments ofthe travel of chamber section 2 are effectedby adjusting the lengthof connecting rod 31 and the effective stroke orthrow of crank arm 32. For the purposeof adjusting the length ofconnecting'rod 31, it is preferably made in two telescoping sectionswhich may be clamped together in the adjusted position by a. set screw39 or'other desired means. For the purpose of varying or adjusting thethrow of crank arm 32, connecting rod 31 is attached thereto through apin and slot connection as shown in Fig. 1.

The gripping device above referred to comprises, among other parts, twoarms 40 fast upon shaft 28, and connected .by a web 22. This grippingdevice is operated by the following mechanism: Fast to shaft 28 on theoutside of chamber'section-2 is an arm 41 having an offset roller 42,-in the path of which are located two stationary inclined plane members43 and 44, attached to the outside of one of the guide supports 4.

Member 43 is mounted upon a' pivot 43".-

Member 44 may or may not be pivoted as desired. As shown in Fig. 1,chamber section 2 is at about the center of its travel forward or towardsection 1. As section 2 proceeds toward section 1, roller 42 travels upthe inclined plane of member 43 thereby raising arms '40 and web 22 ofthe gripping device, and just after 4sections 1 and 2 come together,roller 42 passes off the forward end of member 43, which allows arms 41to drop,

thereby causing the gripping device todrop onto the forward end of thebag sucked into .section 2. As section 2 travels away from section 1,roller 42 of arm V41 travels below member 43, which latter turns on itspivot 43 'to permit the roller 42 to pass and al- Yielding connection iseffectedA i ment of section 2 in lts back travel. When lows .thegripping device to retain its hold on the bag. When section 2approaches-thev it is drawn-out of section 1 b v the move? the roller 42passes off the rear end4 of member 43, it strikes the inclined end of aguide member 431 which prevents the too sudden dropping of the gripper22. As section 2 a}. proaches section 1, the bottom edge of an inclinedar1n46 fast to ysection 2 engages the upperedge of a curved pivotedlever 47 on section 1 and forces it down against the tension of a spring48. Lever 47 being thus ac tuated, operates upon an' arm 49 fast on ashaft 50 on which is mounted a damper 51 within compartment 5.Therefore, when sections l` and 2 abut, the damper 51 will opencompartment 5 tothe free passage of air, and when section 2 recedes fromsection the bag is dropped upon said conveyer when l l, the damperautomatically closes under the action of spring 48. .The clos-ure of thedamper in this way prevents thebag from' being drawn upward by suctionafter sections 1 and 2 have separated. The function of opening 19 andflap 2O is to effect a quick break in the suction when section 2 startson its back travel.

Reverting now to the conveyer, this comprises a belt 45 carried on twodrums 52 and 53,'v7 the latter of which is mounted upon a shaft 54 towhich power isapplied, as hereinafter described, to drive the conveyer.-

For the purpose of stacking the turned `bags on the conveyer, its motionis made intermittent, .that is, it remains stationary until a certainnumber `of bags, fiftyfor example, have been delivered to it one uponthe other, and then it moves forward to deliver the stack thus formed.For the purpose of imparting this intermittent motion to the conveyer,the following mechanism is provided: Fast on shaft 54 is a sprocket 55which is geared through a chain 56 to a sprocket 57 fast on a shaft 58.Also fast on shaft 58 is a clutchmember 59, which is adapted at times toengage with a clutch .member 60 loose on said shaft. Clutch Vmember 60is fast to a sprocket 61 which is geared through a chain 62 to asprocket 63 fast 0n power shaft36. Clutch member 61 is slid axially ofshaft 58 so as'to bring itinto engagement and out Vof engagement withclutch member 59,'by alever 63fulcrumed as at 64 and operated by twocams `65 and 66 on a face of a gear 67 fast on a shaft 68 and meshingwith a worm 69, fast upon a shaft 70, which in turn is driven from shaft33.

`themselves so arranged, that each time chamber section 2 makes fiftytrips, or ltty bags are delivered to the conveyer 45, one of the cams65-66 will operate upon lever 68 to cause the coupling of clutch members59 and 60, whereupon the conveyer 'will be drivena suficient distance todeliver the .to turn -on its fulcrum on the action of stack of bagscarried thereby.` The conveyer is automatically stopped at the requiredpoint by the separation of clutch members 59 and 60, which is in turneffected by the passage of one of cams 65 or 66 from engagement withlever 68, allowingl said lever spring 71.`

Each time a bag is dropped onto the conveyer, it is pressed downthereupon and held by. a series of prongs 7 2 fast on a rock shaft 73.v-This rock shaft receives its motion through anarm 74; fast thereto andconnected to a rod 75 adapted to travel in a guide 76 land to engage theperiphery -of a cam 77 from which the said rod receives verticalreciprocating motion. Cam 77 is in turn mounted fast upon a shaft 78which is connected through beveled gears 7 9 and 8O to shaft 33. Shaft 78 also operates mouth member 13, and for this purpose there is mountedfast on said shaft a cam 81 upon the periphery of which bears on`e endof a lever 82 fulcrumed on a stud 83 fast to the frame of the machine.Lever 82 is flexibly connected at its upper end to a reciprocating mouth13. The lower end of lever 82 is .held against the periphery of cam 8lunder the tension of a spring 84.

The foregoing is a description of one specie form of my invention. This,however,

.is susceptible to various modifications and changes which may be madewithin the scopeof what'I claim. What I claim isz- 1. A bag turningmachine comprising a -suction chamber having two separable sections eachhaving an open end and .said ends facing each other, one of saidsections having an outlet for the attachment of an air suction duct andthe same section having a mouth through whichthe bagsare drawn inturning, and mechanism to eiect relative reciprocating motion betweensaid secy tions to bring their open ends together and 'separate themalternately. v

2. A bag'turning machine comprising a suction chamber having twoseparable sections each having an open end which face each other, one ofsaid sections having an air passage or compartment provided withanoutlet for the attachment of an air suction duct, and the same sectionhaving another passage or compartment provided with a mouthV throughwhich the bags are drawn an outlet for the attachment of an air `suctionduct, and the same section having another passage or compartmentprovided with a mouth through which the bags are drawn in turning,mechanism to effect relative reciprocating motion between said sectionsto bring their open ends together and separate them alternately, adamper in the first mentioned compartment, and mechanism to open saiddamper when said sections are' oi-ought together and to close the samewhen they are separated.

l. A bag turning machine comprising a suction chamber having twoseparable sections each having an open end facing -each other, one ofsaid sections having an outlet for the attachment of an air-suction ductand the same section having amouth through which the bags are drawn inturning, mechanism to effect relative reciprocating motion between saidsections to bring their open ends together and separate themalternately, bag gripping means located in one of said sections, `intlmechanism to cause said means to grip a bag drawn by suction into saidchamber when said sections are brought together and to release the bagafter said sections have been separated.

o. A bag turning machine comprisinga suction chamber 4having twoseparable sec tions each having an open end facing each other, one ofsaid sections having an outlet for the attachment of an air suction ductand the same section having a mouththrough which the bags are drawn inturning, mechanismto eifect relative reciprocating motion between saidsections to bring their open ends together and separate themalternately, bag gripping means located in one of said sections,mechanism to cause said means to grip a bag drawn by suction into saidchamber when said sections are brought through which the bags are drawnin turn# ing, mechanism to effect relative reciprocating motion betweensaid sections to bring their open ends together and separate themgripping `de\'ice,` and lmeans to intermitalternately, bag grippingmeans located in tently operate the conveyer. 1o one of said sections,mechanismv to cause In 'testimony whereof .Iv aix my 'signu- ,said meansto grip abag drawn by suction ture in presence of two witnesses.

5 into said chamber when said sections are ALBERT NOYES.

, brought together and 'tm-release the -bag 4 Witnesses: f

after said sections have been separated, a GEORGE H. BoYN'rox, con'veyerto receive the bags released by the H. H. TRAYWICK.

